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Starhorse Base (Ship)
Description This is perhaps the largest of the human-designed bases that also happens to be a "fish-ship", organic marine designs being popular with many groundling navies. Nicknamed the "Starhorse" since most of these vessels operate deep in the void of Wild Space, but almost always within a star systems life zone, thus close to the star. Powered by either a series major helm or a major helm of above-average power, the Starhorse's main strength is not in the distance it can move but rather its maneuverability. Starhorse Bases are massively mobile docking facilities, though they are designed to operate on station for extended periods of time. Many a Starhorse Base has become well known way-ports, their docking and repair facilities popular with a wide variety of spacefarers, from privateers to adventurers, though their lack of entertainment facilities and bars tend to make them unpopular as stopovers, which is perhaps what the designers intended. The Starhorse is all business, not an R&R facility. Still, if ever you find your vessel in need of repairs or emergency supplies, a Starhorse Base is what you want to look for. Crew As with the much-feared Armada of the Elven Navy crews of Starhorse Bases follow a tiered hierarchy, from base commander down to dock master. This is due in no small part to the prohibitive costs of building and supplying such vessels, which usually means the Starhorse Base is part of a larger organized naval presence, human or otherwise. Ship Uses Mobile Repair Facility (Starhorse): Operating within Wild Space the Starhorse Base serves as a waypoint and docking facility for traders and military craft. As most Starhorse Bases are open facilities they are popular with merchants, privateers, and adventurers. Wayport (Flowhorse): Operating in sectors of the Flow where traffic is heavy are the Flowhorse variant of this class. Large semi-mobile bases with fully equipped port and docking facilities. Of course such bases are also frequently better armed and armored than their Wild Space counterparts. Other Configurations Defense Station (Battlehorse): Some navies modify the standard Starhorse hull by converting cargo space to crew or weapons compartments. Such bases are referred to as Battlehorses and pack a heavier punch, having their offensive capability upgraded to the best armaments such navies can acquire. Typically this variant replaces all ballistae and catapults with bombards and is used as a forward defense installation for outposts. Battlehorses usually keep several small fighting craft docked with them, typically about a dozen Blades, Wreckboats, or Flitters, or 2-3 Stinger variant Mosquitos. Command Post (Commandhorse): When the hull is stripped down and refitted for maximum cargo/crew capacity so that two to three small craft can be permanently based with the Starhorse it becomes an exceptional command craft. Alas, without their fleet support vessels, such bases cannot effectively go head to head with an elven armada. This isn't to say that human navies haven't tried, which is perhaps why the Starhorse is not a hull known in more spheres. Observation Craft (Scouthorse): With the dock and repair facilities gutted of all but the barest of essentials, crew and cargo compartments lightened, and fielded with a squadron of small craft no larger than an elven flitter the Starhorse makes for an interesting reconnaissance craft. Certain human navies have been known to employ such vessels to keep watch on neighboring planets and bases. Troop Transport (Mule): When the dock and repair facilities are removed and the remaining cargo decks converted to crew quarters the Starhorse becomes a formidable troop carrier, or so it has been reported. This modification remains theoretical, since there have been no confirmed sightings of ships of this configuration. Most navies would agree that using two or more smaller craft instead of one ship the size and cost of a Starhorse would be a more economical method of transporting troops.